


Shadow

by fragilespark



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, M/M, unrequited Carver/Fenris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-10
Updated: 2012-11-10
Packaged: 2018-05-08 06:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5486642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fragilespark/pseuds/fragilespark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carver is rejected and lashes out at his brother. Garrett lashes back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadow

Carver leaned forward and kissed Fenris. He felt the elf’s hands on his face, but they were pushing him back, away.

“No.”

He was sure it was disgust on Fenris’ face. Carver had known rejection and humiliation before. He backed up a step, to let Fenris know he didn’t need to worry. He understood. Space between them. He’d leave him alone. He wasn’t going to try it again. He didn’t have to think he was disgusting any more.

Carver couldn’t blame Fenris. He probably preferred Garrett.

 _Like every other sodding person he meets. Nothing’s changed_.

He got out of there as fast as he could. One day he would meet someone who had never heard of Garrett Hawke, and then he would keep them away and deny he ever had a brother.

 

Carver didn’t speak to anyone on their way to the Bone Pit. If Garrett wanted him along he could take him in all his grumpiness. He had enough of trying for anyone else’s approval.

“A little break before the plunge?” Garrett said to Anders and Fenris. Anders approved and Fenris said nothing, but Carver just kept going, nosing around the miners’ camp. Although they had officially returned to work, some days they were seen hanging around the Hanged Man, and Garrett always took it as a sign that something was preventing them from working safely.

“Hey. Hey Carver!”

He ignored Garrett.

“Hey bonehead!”

Carver felt a sharp _thwack_ at the back of his head, and whatever had been thrown at him skittered to the floor.

Carver snapped.

It didn’t seem to take him that long to reach Garrett, who just watched him approach with such infuriating smugness that Carver could not bear it. He struck out at him, and Garrett pushed aside his blow, giving Carver a warning shove of his own.

Garrett was strong, but it hadn’t slowed Carver down one bit. He gave him a backhand swipe, straight to the face, no holding back.

Garrett’s face was still turned to the side but the air crackled with the lightning before it exploded against Carver’s body, throwing him back and screaming through his blood. He shook against the floor, the sky spinning above him, not sure how far away he had landed. Garrett entered his field of vision and stood over him, his voice painful in Carver’s ears.

“That’s enough!”

Carver gasped, trying to get enough air for a response, but Garret had the metal end of his staff under his chin.

“You behave or you go home.” He walked away and left Carver there.

“You keep me in line with magic because you have nothing else. You’re weak.” There was no response. Carver found the strength to stand, but his head was pounding. “Bethany would never have used her magic against me.”

This time it was Garrett’s movement that was fast. He spun round and punched Carver square across the cheek. “ _Don’t you dare_.”

It didn’t knock Carver over, but he stared at the ground, blood trickling from his nose and rushing to his face.

Anders and Fenris stood nearby on alert. It had all happened in a few moments and now it seemed it was over. Garrett had his back to him.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Carver was not getting left behind. He wiped his mouth and stomped twards the cave entrance. Why did they waste so much time? The sooner they were through the sooner they could go home. He wasn’t stupid enough to leave them there, although they would probably be fine without him. He had enough spite in him for Garrett, but not Fenris.

The first part of the cave echoed with the drip of water. He checked the ceiling for the large spiders that usually sought to attack. His own hard footsteps were clear and his fury had not yet dissipated enough for him to notice the one that had waited behind him as he passed. It lunged and he stumbled as he tried pulling his sword out and cutting across its grotesque face. It was too close. He stepped back further and his feet tangled in some thick webbing. He could feel the sticky threads behind him and yanked himself forward to free his back but as he struggled with the way his feet were trapped another two spiders appeared.

The smaller spider jabbed its leg towards him and he cut it with the force of his blade. It wasn’t a clean cut, and the spider twisted in pain, the leg dangling horrifically. The other spider was wary, Garrett and the others had entered and it did not want to put its back to them.

Carver used the moment to hack at the webs around his feet. Anders could have easily helped him by now and the rage pounded through his blood again that people cared for Garrett that much but not for him. The spider pounced at him and the swung his sword up, deflecting its attack but it reared up for another.

Fenris dove at it, stabbing into its midsection and Carver forced himself free and killed the smaller one. He didn’t want any surprises. The cave glowed blue and he thought it was Fenris but Anders had joined the fight and finished it.

Carver almost tripped on the last of the webbing, out of breath but still needing an outlet as he marched towards Anders. “Thought you’d get the glory at the last minute, did you?” He grabbed the front of Anders’ coat. “While you stood there and _laughed_ for the rest of it.” He let go abruptly.

He could see the fight in Garrett from the corner of his eye but Fenris reached him first and placed a hand on Carver’s chest.

“We will clear a path through them faster together. Shall we go ahead?”

Fenris urged him forward and although Carver was still ready to claw at both mages, Fenris’ voice and touch calmed him enough to go with him and had a way of making him grateful for the intervention.


End file.
